CPJ condemns the death of Palestinian Media worker by Israeli Airstrikes

CAIRO: The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned Thursday the death of a Palestinian media worker, who died Wednesday after being targeted by an Israel Defense Forces’ airstrike, the statement said.

The CPJ said the airstrike targeted the driver for the Gaza-based press agency Media 24, Hamid Shihab, despite the car being “clearly marked as a press vehicle.”

Photographs taken by the Palestinian Journalist and published on his Facbook show the word “TV” written in red on the car’s gray hood, it added.

Media 24 cameraman Hatem Silmy told CPJ that “Shihab was parked outside his home when the car was hit.”

Silmy clarified that they were heading to the Media 24 office, to report on the ongoing conflict “between Israeli and Palestinian forces,” it said.

Israeli airstrikes which started three days ago have killed dozens of Palestinian civilians including children in the Gaza Strip, responding to the Hamas rockets fired towards Israel, with no deaths or injuries reported.

“It was not clear what kind of airstrike killed Shihab and injured several others. News reports said 750 targets have been struck in the Gaza Strip by Israeli fighter jets, helicopters, and armed drones in the past three days, killing at least 81 Palestinians. No Israeli deaths have been reported despite dozens of rockets being launched from Gaza,” read the statement.

The CPJ said “the Israeli military repeatedly targeted journalists during the 2012 conflict with Hamas. On November 20, 2012, two cameramen belonging to the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV station were killed when an Israeli missile struck their car, which was also labeled as “TV.” adding “At least nine journalists were injured in an attack by Israeli airstrikes also targeting two buildings known for housing numerous international and local news organizations.”